How does the printer choose which black ink to use when it has pigment and dye based black ??

I just ordered a Canon iP4500, which has two black cartridges, a dye based
one and a larger pigment based one, for text.

When you print out a page that is mostly text, but has colour on it as well,
does it still use the pigment based ink? What about if you print out a
colour map from Google Maps, for example? What about a PDF file of a
magazine page, which is text, but with a light coloured background (maybe
with a pattern)?

Would it just use the dye based ink for these types of page, or does it
somehow know what is type or not? I could imagine that being easy with a
PostScript printer, or can the printer driver know this now, and so the
pigment ink is used?

ss.

"Synapse Syndrome" <> wrote in message
news:SIydnbb-bP-...
>I just ordered a Canon iP4500, which has two black cartridges, a dye based
>one and a larger pigment based one, for text.
>
> When you print out a page that is mostly text, but has colour on it as
> well, does it still use the pigment based ink? What about if you print
> out a colour map from Google Maps, for example? What about a PDF file of
> a magazine page, which is text, but with a light coloured background
> (maybe with a pattern)?
>
> Would it just use the dye based ink for these types of page, or does it
> somehow know what is type or not? I could imagine that being easy with a
> PostScript printer, or can the printer driver know this now, and so the
> pigment ink is used?
>
> ss.
>

Pretty simply, actually. If you select plain paper, it uses pigment. If you
select any other type of paper, dye. Duplex printing also forces dye to
speed drying times.

"DanG" <> wrote in message
news_. ..
>
> Pretty simply, actually. If you select plain paper, it uses pigment. If
> you select any other type of paper, dye. Duplex printing also forces dye
> to speed drying times.


Oh, that's a bit crap. I was planning to use the duplex printing quite a
bit.

So with plain paper, even if I have a company logo printed in colour, at the
top, the letter body text will be printed in pigment ink still? Even when
colour is used in the background, as long as 'Plain Paper' is selected,
pigment is used? And what about a Google Map, printed on plain paper?
Maybe I should wait, and check myself.

Cheers

ss.

Synapse Syndrome wrote:
> "DanG" <> wrote in message
> news_. ..
>> Pretty simply, actually. If you select plain paper, it uses pigment. If
>> you select any other type of paper, dye. Duplex printing also forces dye
>> to speed drying times.
>
>
> Oh, that's a bit crap. I was planning to use the duplex printing quite a
> bit.
>
> So with plain paper, even if I have a company logo printed in colour, at the
> top, the letter body text will be printed in pigment ink still? Even when
> colour is used in the background, as long as 'Plain Paper' is selected,
> pigment is used? And what about a Google Map, printed on plain paper?
> Maybe I should wait, and check myself.

It is my understanding that the pigment ink is only used on black and
white documents printed on plain paper. Once any of the other ink tanks
are used it switches to the dye based black no matter what type of paper
is specified.

"Michael Johnson" <> wrote in message
news: ...
> Synapse Syndrome wrote:
>> "DanG" <> wrote in message
>> news_. ..
>>> Pretty simply, actually. If you select plain paper, it uses pigment. If
>>> you select any other type of paper, dye. Duplex printing also forces dye
>>> to speed drying times.
>>
>>
>> Oh, that's a bit crap. I was planning to use the duplex printing quite a
>> bit.
>>
>> So with plain paper, even if I have a company logo printed in colour, at
>> the top, the letter body text will be printed in pigment ink still? Even
>> when colour is used in the background, as long as 'Plain Paper' is
>> selected, pigment is used? And what about a Google Map, printed on plain
>> paper? Maybe I should wait, and check myself.
>
> It is my understanding that the pigment ink is only used on black and
> white documents printed on plain paper. Once any of the other ink tanks
> are used it switches to the dye based black no matter what type of paper
> is specified.

This is wrong. Any time that you select plain paper, the pigment black is
used. (except for duplex). The only time dye black is used is when other
paper types are selected, (or duplex).

DanG wrote:
> "Michael Johnson" <> wrote in message
> news: ...
>> Synapse Syndrome wrote:
>>> "DanG" <> wrote in message
>>> news_. ..
>>>> Pretty simply, actually. If you select plain paper, it uses pigment. If
>>>> you select any other type of paper, dye. Duplex printing also forces dye
>>>> to speed drying times.
>>>
>>> Oh, that's a bit crap. I was planning to use the duplex printing quite a
>>> bit.
>>>
>>> So with plain paper, even if I have a company logo printed in colour, at
>>> the top, the letter body text will be printed in pigment ink still? Even
>>> when colour is used in the background, as long as 'Plain Paper' is
>>> selected, pigment is used? And what about a Google Map, printed on plain
>>> paper? Maybe I should wait, and check myself.
>> It is my understanding that the pigment ink is only used on black and
>> white documents printed on plain paper. Once any of the other ink tanks
>> are used it switches to the dye based black no matter what type of paper
>> is specified.
>
> This is wrong. Any time that you select plain paper, the pigment black is
> used. (except for duplex). The only time dye black is used is when other
> paper types are selected, (or duplex).

Thanks for the clarification.

On 1/27/2008 2:09 PM, Michael Johnson wrote:
> DanG wrote:
>> "Michael Johnson" <> wrote in message
>> news: ...
>>> Synapse Syndrome wrote:
>>>> "DanG" <> wrote in message
>>>> news_. ..
>>>>> Pretty simply, actually. If you select plain paper, it uses
>>>>> pigment. If you select any other type of paper, dye. Duplex
>>>>> printing also forces dye to speed drying times.
>>>>
>>>> Oh, that's a bit crap. I was planning to use the duplex printing
>>>> quite a bit.
>>>>
>>>> So with plain paper, even if I have a company logo printed in
>>>> colour, at the top, the letter body text will be printed in pigment
>>>> ink still? Even when colour is used in the background, as long as
>>>> 'Plain Paper' is selected, pigment is used? And what about a Google
>>>> Map, printed on plain paper? Maybe I should wait, and check myself.
>>> It is my understanding that the pigment ink is only used on black and
>>> white documents printed on plain paper. Once any of the other ink
>>> tanks are used it switches to the dye based black no matter what type
>>> of paper is specified.
>>
>> This is wrong. Any time that you select plain paper, the pigment black
>> is used. (except for duplex). The only time dye black is used is when
>> other paper types are selected, (or duplex).
>
> Thanks for the clarification.

I'm not so sure that is correct, and it contradicts everything I've read
over the years. In addition to using the dye ink for double-sided
printing, it also uses the dye black when it uses the other colors
(which are also dye). That is because the pigment black doesn't blend
properly with the dye inks.

Bernie wrote:
> On 1/27/2008 2:09 PM, Michael Johnson wrote:
>> DanG wrote:
>>> "Michael Johnson" <> wrote in message
>>> news: ...
>>>> Synapse Syndrome wrote:
>>>>> "DanG" <> wrote in message
>>>>> news_. ..
>>>>>> Pretty simply, actually. If you select plain paper, it uses
>>>>>> pigment. If you select any other type of paper, dye. Duplex
>>>>>> printing also forces dye to speed drying times.
>>>>>
>>>>> Oh, that's a bit crap. I was planning to use the duplex printing
>>>>> quite a bit.
>>>>>
>>>>> So with plain paper, even if I have a company logo printed in
>>>>> colour, at the top, the letter body text will be printed in pigment
>>>>> ink still? Even when colour is used in the background, as long as
>>>>> 'Plain Paper' is selected, pigment is used? And what about a
>>>>> Google Map, printed on plain paper? Maybe I should wait, and check
>>>>> myself.
>>>> It is my understanding that the pigment ink is only used on black
>>>> and white documents printed on plain paper. Once any of the other
>>>> ink tanks are used it switches to the dye based black no matter what
>>>> type of paper is specified.
>>>
>>> This is wrong. Any time that you select plain paper, the pigment
>>> black is used. (except for duplex). The only time dye black is used
>>> is when other paper types are selected, (or duplex).
>>
>> Thanks for the clarification.
>
> I'm not so sure that is correct, and it contradicts everything I've read
> over the years. In addition to using the dye ink for double-sided
> printing, it also uses the dye black when it uses the other colors
> (which are also dye). That is because the pigment black doesn't blend
> properly with the dye inks.

I'm not sold I was wrong either but I don't have the time to look it up.
I believe it was something I read here a long time ago.

"Michael Johnson" <> wrote in message
news: ...
>>>>>>> Pretty simply, actually. If you select plain paper, it uses pigment.
>>>>>>> If you select any other type of paper, dye. Duplex printing also
>>>>>>> forces dye to speed drying times.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Oh, that's a bit crap. I was planning to use the duplex printing
>>>>>> quite a bit.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> So with plain paper, even if I have a company logo printed in colour,
>>>>>> at the top, the letter body text will be printed in pigment ink
>>>>>> still? Even when colour is used in the background, as long as 'Plain
>>>>>> Paper' is selected, pigment is used? And what about a Google Map,
>>>>>> printed on plain paper? Maybe I should wait, and check myself.
>>>>> It is my understanding that the pigment ink is only used on black and
>>>>> white documents printed on plain paper. Once any of the other ink
>>>>> tanks are used it switches to the dye based black no matter what type
>>>>> of paper is specified.
>>>>
>>>> This is wrong. Any time that you select plain paper, the pigment black
>>>> is used. (except for duplex). The only time dye black is used is when
>>>> other paper types are selected, (or duplex).
>>>
>>> Thanks for the clarification.
>>
>> I'm not so sure that is correct, and it contradicts everything I've read
>> over the years. In addition to using the dye ink for double-sided
>> printing, it also uses the dye black when it uses the other colors (which
>> are also dye). That is because the pigment black doesn't blend properly
>> with the dye inks.
>
> I'm not sold I was wrong either but I don't have the time to look it up. I
> believe it was something I read here a long time ago.

Well I was planning on printing my company logo at the top of pages I print
out, and if that means that the text gets printed in the dye ink, I should
have got another B&W laser instead.

ss.

"Synapse Syndrome" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> "Michael Johnson" <> wrote in message
> news: ...
>>>>>>>> Pretty simply, actually. If you select plain paper, it uses
>>>>>>>> pigment. If you select any other type of paper, dye. Duplex
>>>>>>>> printing also forces dye to speed drying times.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Oh, that's a bit crap. I was planning to use the duplex printing
>>>>>>> quite a bit.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> So with plain paper, even if I have a company logo printed in
>>>>>>> colour, at the top, the letter body text will be printed in pigment
>>>>>>> ink still? Even when colour is used in the background, as long as
>>>>>>> 'Plain Paper' is selected, pigment is used? And what about a Google
>>>>>>> Map, printed on plain paper? Maybe I should wait, and check myself.
>>>>>> It is my understanding that the pigment ink is only used on black and
>>>>>> white documents printed on plain paper. Once any of the other ink
>>>>>> tanks are used it switches to the dye based black no matter what type
>>>>>> of paper is specified.
>>>>>
>>>>> This is wrong. Any time that you select plain paper, the pigment black
>>>>> is used. (except for duplex). The only time dye black is used is when
>>>>> other paper types are selected, (or duplex).
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for the clarification.
>>>
>>> I'm not so sure that is correct, and it contradicts everything I've read
>>> over the years. In addition to using the dye ink for double-sided
>>> printing, it also uses the dye black when it uses the other colors
>>> (which are also dye). That is because the pigment black doesn't blend
>>> properly with the dye inks.
>>
>> I'm not sold I was wrong either but I don't have the time to look it up.
>> I believe it was something I read here a long time ago.
>
> Well I was planning on printing my company logo at the top of pages I
> print out, and if that means that the text gets printed in the dye ink, I
> should have got another B&W laser instead.
>
> ss.
>


I don't know about. I just suspect it uses pigmented ink when 100% solid
black (for plain paper). In all other cases, I suppose it uses dye ink. For
example in the case you mentioned, it should use pigmented for text (100%
black) and dye black for the logo and for grays, etc.

--

Yianni
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